The scene is set for the flu season, already deadly, to take a dramatic turn for the worst in the Lehigh Valley. Circulating is a particularly nasty strain of the flu against which the vaccine offers little protection. And now, just as students are getting ready to go back to school, where germs are freely exchanged like knockoff Pokeman cards, the incidence of the flu is spiking like bad fever. "The school opening thing," warned Dr. Luther Rhodes, chief of infectious diseases at Lehigh Valley Health Network, "is the next unknown, or X factor, we'll have to watch very closely." Health Network Laboratories in Allentown, which processes flu tests for much of...

Related "Back to School" Articles

The scene is set for the flu season, already deadly, to take a dramatic turn for the worst in the Lehigh Valley.
Circulating is a particularly nasty strain of the flu against which the vaccine offers little protection. And now, just as students are...

The Pesticide Education folks at Penn State have posted their “back to School” issue. This year they’re sharing pest management and pesticide safety resources. This is really great stuff. There are insect morphology and metamorphosis posters and pesticide bing

Students and families will be warmly welcomed back to Harry S. Truman Elementary School this fall with a special Back to School Dinner sponsored by the Parent-Teacher Organization.Students and families are welcome to dine together at the school at 6...

Fans of Berks County mom of eight Kate Gosselin are getting their wish.
After airing a two-part special "Kate Plus 8" in June, TLC has announced the reality series following the single mom and her eight kids is returning in December.
Three...

If you've put off your-back-to-school shopping and will be hitting the stores in the next few days looking for last-minute savings, one deal you may want to avoid is the one offered to sign up for a store credit card.
Stores often dangle an additional...

Stores bury parents this time of year with advertisements, offers and coupons for back-to-school sales. Consumer protection experts bury columnists like me with advice about how to stay safe, and save money, while preparing to go back to school. Here...

Always this time of year, long ago, we knew the tide of summer was withdrawing, because television would start carrying commercials about such items as blue jeans and notebooks.
One commercial in particular had a man calling out "Levi's" in a...

Nineteen-year-old Bethlehem twins and YouTube sensations Niki and Gabi DeMartino will headline the back to school “ABC’s of Style” event at Lehigh Valley Mall Saturday.
Niki and Gabi who have more than 400,000 followers on their two YouTube channels,...

The Beatles had Shea Stadium to greet legions of teenage fans. Teen fashion icons and YouTube sensations Niki and Gabi DeMartino had the Lehigh Valley Mall on Saturday.For parents and adults who probably haven't heard of them, Niki and Gabi are the teen...

Lehigh Valley Mall is holding a free Back-To-School event at Lehigh Valley Mall from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday in the Event Court near Macy’s. Families are invited to get ready for school with Simon Kidgits Club by creating a one-of-a-kind bug jar and garden

Now that Musikfest is over, Artsquest's Summer Family Movie Series resumes at the Levitt Pavilion at SteelStacks in South Bethlehem. Artsquest is holding "back to school night" Tuesday with the free screening of "An American Tail" at 8 p.m. The evening, design

Pakistani children returned on Monday to the school where Taliban gunmen killed 150 of their classmates and teachers last month, clutching their parents' hands tightly in a poignant symbol of perseverance despite the horrors they had endured.
It was...

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: My 10-year-old daughter has very dry skin, and it seems to get worse when school starts. She develops red, itchy patches on her arms and lower legs. They usually fade away after a while, but they really bother her. What could be the...

Benjamin Franklin said, "An investment in knowledge pays the best interest." Unfortunately, all of the education in the world cannot help you avoid a truism of money management: No matter what you do, there is some element of risk involved....

Now that the kids are back to school, it's time to hit the books for you and your money. For the next few weeks, I am going to cover basic financial and investment concepts that seem to flummox people. When I wrote about bonds a couple of years ago, I...

It's the second week of the Jill on Money "Back to School for your Money" mini-course and since it is also National Life Insurance Awareness Month, let's tackle the complicated topic of life insurance. According to the industry research group...

JC Penney salons are offering $10 kids' haircuts as a back-to-school special. Call to make an appointment for children in grades K-6. All salons are participating, and walk-ins are welcome.
While you're waiting, mom is eligible for a $25 “Just For...

If you're back-to-school shopping, use a coupon to save $10 at Macy's this weekend.
Save $10 on a $25 purchase on sale, clearance and select home goods until 1 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday. There are some exclusions.
Also, Macy's...

Pick your savings at JC Penney in time for back-to-school shopping.
Save $10 on a $25 purchase or $20 on a $50 purchase with a coupon. Online shoppers can save $30 on a $100 purchase with code SAVBUNCH.
The coupons are good on select apparel, shoes,...